Ryan, the photo above was posted on the "history channel" in Aug. 2007, which started the conversation below, and this is all that was learned. Gary Hill was wrong about the number of elephants that had the star brand on Ringling:
This is the hand stand prop being used that I mentioned in the photo below from Krefeld.
Posts
Hey look ! Another Star baby
05 August, 2007 07:50
Very observant, Larry. This look's to me like a solid star, where as Axel's were more of an outline of a star. I have heard many reason's for the star's over the year's. The telling usually start's with, " I have heard, but I am not sure". Buckles, do you or any other elephant afficionato's know why so few elephants are marked thusly, and what the source of the brand is, and most troubling, why? Thank you. Wade Burck
05 August, 2007 08:51
Not a clue.
Gary Hill would know, he's up on all those cowboy things.
05 August, 2007 09:01
The elephants in question arrived in 1981, Axel got "Bonnie", "Nicole", "Alana" and "Icky".
Gunther took "Siam" and "Bangkok" (Bonkers), most if not all had a star branded on their hip.
In the final analysis however, the only common denominator was that all were goofy.
05 August, 2007 09:22
Thank's Burckles. You cleared that up nicely. If it is a "cowboy thing", do you suppose I would have had a little bit of a clue? I feel like I have just trekked over the Himalaya's to ask the Dali Lama the meaning of life, only to have him reply, "I think it is a Frank Sinatra ballad." Geez. Wade Burck
05 August, 2007 10:04
It was the brand put on them in the camp where they were born
05 August, 2007 11:01
I've heard that also, Larry. Even heard it was the Star Logging Company. It still doesn't make sense. Why did just this camp use brand's and not others? I have never seen other brands except the star brand. Realizing the difficulty in breeding elephants, were there only a handful of calves born at this camp? Has anybody ever seen other brands? I am only familiar with the one's on Ringling, and now this one at Krefeld Zoo. Some of Ringling's had stars on both hip's, and some had star's on one hip. Why? Wade Burck
05 August, 2007 12:06
A closer look and you can see 4 letters (maybe a name) under the star branded on this elephant. Did the others have anything under their stars?
05 August, 2007 14:46
Your right, Casey. On closer examination,(as close as 55 year old eyes can examine), I see what appear to be symbals, not letters. I don't recall any other mark's on the Ringling elephants, and I remember the star's being different. This one is long and narrow, and the others were broader and pretty uniform. Wade Burck
05 August, 2007 16:33
She's the Sheriff! 4517 are the numbers I read? That star is alot higher up that the ones on your elephants Capt?
06 August, 2007 21:17